VMware shrink virtual disk

Introduction

This was performed on a thin provision virtual disk using VMware Converter. It changes the disk to Thick Provision.
The task will consume high network bandwidth on the machine running VMware Converter, though it can be run on your PC
Other options to shrink disks include vmware-vdiskmanager.exe, vmkfstools, and vmware tools shrink within the VM

Steps
(1 total)

1

VMware shrink virtual disk

1. Make sure you have a backup before proceeding, and that vSphere is functioning correctly
2. Delete any unnecessary/large files, to ensure optimum performance
3. Power virtual machine down
4. Make a note of the virtual machine version in vSphere
5. Launch VMware vCenter Converter Standalone from any networked PC
6. Make sure you have installed the vCenter Server certificate on to the networked PC
7. Select CONVERT MACHINE
8. Select source type VMWARE INFRASTRUCTURE VIRTUAL MACHINE
9. Specify server connection information SERVER xxxxxxxxx
10. User name xxxxxxxxxxx and Password xxxxxxxxxx
11. Select the virtual machine you want to convert, and wait a while to retrieve machine information
12. Select destination type VMWARE INFRASTRUCTURE VIRTUAL MACHINE
13. Specify server connection information SERVER xxxxxxxxx
14. User name xxxxxxxxx and Password xxxxxxxxx
15. Select the destination VM name e.g. SERVER01-NEW
16. Select the folder DISCOVERED VIRTUAL MACHINE
17. Select the destination HOST SERVER and DATASTORE ( make sure there is enough space free for the actual data )
18. Specify the same VIRTUAL MACHINE VERSION that you noted earlier
19. Select EDIT next to DATA TO COPY
20. Data copy type SELECT VOLUMES TO COPY
21. Deselect system volume and C drive, if you are just shrinking the data drive ( click OK for the warning )
22. For the data drive destination size select MIN SIZE
23. Select FINISH and wait to complete ( approx. 1GB per 10 minutes )
24. The Convert might fail at 98% with the error 'unable to find the system volume'. This does not seem to cause an issue.
25. Make sure the new vmdk is in the correct datastore, and is the expected size
26. On the existing virtual machine ( i.e. SERVER01 ), edit the settings and remove the data hard disk ( DO NOT delete files from disk ), then click OK
27. Edit settings again and Add Hard Disk, USE AN EXISTING VIRTUAL DISK
28. Browse to the new vmdk i.e. SERVER01-NEW.vmdk
29. Accept the default Advanced Options ( next free SCSI node, Independent NOT ticked ), Finish and OK
30. Power on the existing virtual machine ( i.e. SERVER01 ) and check everything working
31. As the data disk was converted with MIN SIZE, there will be no free space on the disk. Increase space by editing the disk size in vSphere, then provision in Windows

? The old vmdk and the new virtual machine can be removed once everything tested working ?